Party Lows and Highs
by Michelle-And-The-Beatle
Summary: Lauren is concerned about Stu's overall mind. After both Vegas and Bangkok, he seemed to be really fucked up. She goes to one of Stu's best friends, Phil, and asks him to see what he could do to help her husband. Please Enjoy!


**This was requested to me by an anonymous comment, and frankly I had fun with it. So, thank you whoever you are!**

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"... Happy Birthday to Phil. Happy Birthday to you!"

A round of cheering and clapping followed that age-old tune. Phil kissed his wife Stephanie in celebration.

Stephanie had arranged a surprise party for her husband for is 35th birthday in their house. He had stopped celebrating it a while ago, but Steph thought this birthday should be a special one.

"Thanks, baby. This is great," Phil told her after kissing her. Stephanie smiled, happy to please her husband.

"Congratulations, Phil," Lauren walked over to the couple, holding a beer bottle in her hand.

"Hey! How are you?" Phil greeted Lauren with a hug.

"I'm doing great."

There was a short awkward silence until Stephanie spoke.

"I'm gonna go say hi to Donna," she said, touching Phil's arm before walking away.

"Donna's a friend of hers," Phil explained to Lauren. She nodded.

"Phil, I know this is your party and I really don't want to ruin it for you but-"

"Who died?"

"What? N-No one."

"Okay, good."

"It's about Stu."

"Shit, he's still here? I only saw him once. How's he doing?"

"Well... he hasn't really been himself since the wedding."

"Oh..." Phil stopped smiling, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. He just hasn't been... _happy_."

"I can fix that," Phil smiled again, thinking that Stu was just in one of his moods.

"Really? Has he done this before?"

"Well, no. But I know how to get to him. You've tried already?"

Lauren nodded.

"Hmm. I thought you'd make him the happiest man alive."

"Yeah, well..."

"I'll talk to him after the party, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Phil."

"Hey, don't mention it."

Lauren smiled at Phil as Stephanie came back. The three of them talked for a while before breaking into conversations with other people.

The party ended and mostly everyone left. Steph offered to let Stu and Lauren stay longer if they wanted. Lauren forced Stu to say.

"That was a great party, Steph," Lauren said.

"Yeah, it was really nice," Stu said when he received a look from Lauren.

"Thanks, guys," Stephanie said.

All four of them were sitting in the living room.

"I'm surprised Alan didn't come," Stu said.

"Well, I invited him, but he went out on a tour for the Jonas Brothers," Stephanie said.

"Ah..."

"He left a dozen messages on the answering machine, though," Phil said.

"Sounds like Alan," Stu spoke once more, a bit reluctantly.

The four of them (really three because Stu just listened) talked for some time.

"I'm gonna start cleaning up," Stephanie said, standing up. Immediately, with a quick glance at Phil, Lauren shot off the couch she was sharing with Stu.

"Let me help you, Steph."

"Thank you, sweetie."

The two girls went into the kitchen together, leaving Stu and Phil alone in the living room.

They sat in the hundredth awkward silence of the night, this one possibly topping the list.

"Look, Stu," Phil leaned forward on the chair opposite of the couch Stu was on. Stu looked up at Phil.

"You know... you know that you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yeeah..." Stu looked and sounded apprehensive.

"So..."

Stu just looked at Phil curiously.

"Nothing's... going on?" Phil continued.

"Nope. Everything's good."

"You sure? You're a lot quieter than you used to be."

"Well, maybe I've matured, Phil."

"Sure," Phil scoffed, "Are you absolutely positive you're fine?"

"_Yes_, Phil," Stu said impatiently.

"Bullshit," Phil stopped trying to take it slow.

"What, I can't be fine?"

"No, I want you to be fine. This isn't fine. Lauren came to tell me that you haven't been acting like yourself, and I agree with her. What's up, man?"

Stu looked at his friend and saw genuine concern in his eyes. He turned his head toward the kitchen to make sure their wives weren't listening.

"You can talk. I'm listening, bud."

"You know how I said the stuff about my psyche before Lauren and I married?"

"Yeah."

"After Bangkok, I think it was shattered again."

Stu waited for a reaction from Phil, but none came.

"I've been having these... nightmares," Stu's voice fluctuated in its quality and pitch.

Phil dared to ask the question, "About?"

"Bangkok. Just... all of it."

"Like what? Specifically."

"I don't really wanna-"

"Stu."

"It's coming back to me, Phil."

Stu was now leaning in towards Phil and was whispering, desperation in his voice.

"What do you mea-"

"I know we saw the pictures... I know. But I'm experiencing it again. I'm reliving getting fucked in the ass, Phil."

Phil would've laughed at that, but something kept him from doing it. He could tell that Stu was on the verge of tears.

"It's destroying me."

"Stu... maybe you should see a doctor or something about this."

"I went once, but I felt way too uncomfortable."

"If this has affected you like this, you need to get some help."

"I-I know."

Stu bit his bottom lip, looking away from Phil.

"And Phil?"

"Yeah?"

"I tried to forget it, but I don't think it worked."

Phil fought a smirk but failed. He stood up and sat next to Stu on the couch.

"Did I ever tell you that I'm not always right about things?"

"Actually, no."

"Are you feeling better?"

"A little bit. But I don't know how this will stop my nightmares from occurring."

"Neither do I. Maybe you just need to talk about it. Like we're doing."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"What? You doubt my methods?"

"I never said that."

"Speak the truth, Price."

"Look," Stu made a choke of a laugh, "I really appreciate you helping me. But I honestly don't think I'll ever forget the horrors of Vegas or Bangkok."

Phil just looked at Stu, searching for something he could recognize. Anything. He just wanted to see Stu act like himself again, even if the real him could be very annoying at times.

"Are you happy around Lauren?"

"Yes. She's the love of my life."

"Then why don't you show your happiness around me anymore?"

"We haven't seen each other in forever."

"Still. I want to see you more often and I want to see you happy."

"Trust me, Phil, I'm happy. Probably the happiest I've been in my life."

"Save for the nightmares, of course."

Stu gave Phil a look.

"Do you, like, wake up in a sweat or something?"

"No."

"I bet you wake up masturbating-"

"Ew! Phil... no, just no."

"Come on. That man-chick was pretty hot."

"That's not-"

"What was her name? Kimmy, right? She said you cried, and we had photographic evidence to prove it."

"Phil-"

"Do you cry when you get down with Lauren?"

"PHIL!" Stu roughly poked Phil's side, earning a jump and a laugh from the other.

"Apologize," Stu aimed a poke at Phil again.

"Hey!" Phil grabbed Stu's hand before he could prod him again, "What are you, five? No poking."

"But you insulted my love life, no matter who it may be with."

Phil bit on his tongue to try and prevent himself from laughing too loud.

Stu didn't know what came over him, but his hands shot to Phil's sides and he tickled him.

"Stu!" Phil let out a breathless scream as he jumped about a foot into the air. Stu laughed at that reaction.

"Don't you dare!"

"You only said no poking."

And Stu tried to dig in again, earning him a squeak from the other man.

Phil tried not to laugh so the girls wouldn't come to investigate. It really would've embarrassed him if either Stephanie or Lauren saw that he was ticklish.

"Fuck you!" Phil tried to quietly yell at Stu, but one look at Stu's excited and purely happy face made him smile.

Phil didn't want to, but seeing Stu's elated brought him to fight back with tickles. What he really didn't expect was Stu to react as strongly as he did.

"Phil! Don't!" Stu screeched, smiling widely. Phil made him quiet down because of the women, probably talking and not cleaning, in the kitchen.

"Are you finally happy?"

"I've always been happy, asshole," Stu jumped and laughed when Phil tickled him again. Phil couldn't help but also laugh at his friend.

Phil climbed on top of Stu and attacked every inch of him he could reach. Stu was in stitches within seconds. And just as Phil feared, Stephanie and Lauren came nearly running into the living room. All they really heard was screaming and not laughing, so they became alarmed.

"What the hell's going-?"

Lauren immediately stopped when she saw what was happening in the living room. She looked at Stephanie with a gaping mouth. Eventually, the two of them smiled at the bonding between their husbands.

Phil had no idea that they were there because his back was to the kitchen entrance. Stu was so deep into the cushions of the couch that he didn't notice them either.

Lauren was so happy that Stu was finally enjoying himself that she didn't have the heart to break them up. Her and Stephanie went back into the kitchen, giggling and talking about what they just witnessed.

"Stop, stop! Phihihil! Stohop it!"

Phil could tell that Stu was trying to sound serious, but his voice kept alternating between being ungodly high-pitched and being raspy and loud. And every time he would try to say something, he would laugh instead. Phil was giggling himself at his friend's laughter.

"Think the nightmares will stop now?" Phil teased, hoping the answer was affirmative.

"Nohoho! Now this will be in them!" Stu gasped out before squealing when Phil squeezed around his knees. Phil didn't think Stu's smile could get any bigger. He was smiling so wide that Phil could recognize the implanted tooth apart from the others.

"Can I pull out the fake tooth?" Phil joked, one hand moving towards Stu's mouth. Stu whined and his mouth clamped shut. His head was frantically shaking back and forth. Phil only chuckled and tickled him harder to get him to open his mouth, because now he wasn't laughing either. Stu was getting redder with each passing second.

"Come on, Stu."

"Mmmphm."

Phil had been trying to tickle Stu's underarms since he started tickling him, but was unsuccessful. Stu's entire body was spasming and closing in on itself, so it was hard to do so.

Phil tried wiggling his fingers on Stu's neck, and he finally got an opening. When Stu's shoulder came up to block his neck, Phil's devious fingers explored their new canvas. Stu squealed and began giggling, his mouth once again open.

"There's that prosthetic smile."

"Aahahahahasshole!"

"Okay, should I stop?"

"Yehehehes! Ah!"

"I will. Once you say a coherent sentence, telling me to do so."

"Fuhuck you! Stop it!"

"Come on, Stu. You can do this."

"Phil-Phil, stohop!"

"Say 'My name is Stuart Price'. That's easy."

Stu continued to laugh, while Phil's grin continued to grow.

"Gehet off! Phil, I swehahar!"

Stu tried to knock Phil off of himself. He refused to do what Phil wanted until finally he was reduced to doing the thing he knew would get Phil off.

"LAUREN! STEPHANIE! Hehehelp!"

The women in the kitchen heard their names being called. But now since they knew that what was going on was playful, they just smiled and continued chatting.

~The End~


End file.
